


Temporary Happiness Serves Just Fine

by JimIsKing, Nonexistenz



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Big Bang Challenge, Digital Art, Fluff, M/M, Murder Husbands Big Bang, Nightmares, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-23 16:31:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16622432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JimIsKing/pseuds/JimIsKing, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nonexistenz/pseuds/Nonexistenz
Summary: Will and Hannibal struggle to deal with their injuries, feelings, and fears after the fall the night of the Red Dragon, and Will's Becoming.





	Temporary Happiness Serves Just Fine

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the Mods of this Big Bang, and thank you so much to Nonexistenz for making the art for this fic! <3
> 
>  
> 
> Art is embedded but you can find it [here on tumblr, too!](http://nonexistenz.tumblr.com/post/180157026792)

There was a heavy silence between the two men even though the world was blaringly loud. There were wet coughs and pained grunts and Will downright whimpered when he tried to rest his injured cheek against his arm, but no words passed between them. For mere moments that felt as long as a lifetime, only the roar of the waves crashing against the beach was louder than Will's pulse in his ears. Slowly, however, Will's adrenaline wore away and his heart rate slowed. 

Hannibal only looked mildly annoyed, which concerned Will. He knew the man was hardly affected by pain, but this was something else. Something deeper. Will was uncertain if he could force himself to move, but unfortunately, they needed to patch themselves up, get clean, and rest.

Hannibal led him to a cozy house not too far from the rocky beach they managed to haul themselves up on. Once inside, he directed Will down onto a mattress and blindly shuffled off to grab a medical kit, strip down to his underwear, and wash his hands.

Will wanted to protest, to tell Hannibal to stay close, but he was incapable of finding words. He barely had enough strength to keep his eyes open, let alone to speak or get out of his wet clothes. It had been a miracle that he'd gathered the strength to make his way into the cottage. Not to mention that the dark thoughts swirling inside his head were slowly eating him alive. It was all taking its toll on him now.

Hannibal settled down on the bed and pressed a washcloth into Will's hand. Hannibal’s fingers faltered at the buttons on Will's scarlet tinged shirt, but he managed to get it open to press another cloth to his shoulder. He then began to tend to his own wound with shaking hands. It was the only indicator Will could see that Hannibal wasn't alright.

Will continued to watch as Hannibal cleaned, sutured, then bandaged the bullet wound. He pressed one washcloth firmly to his cheek, the coppery taste of blood still omnipresent in his mouth and throat. It mixed horribly with the salty tang of ocean water he'd managed to swallow and reminded him sharply of what they had just been through. He pressed the other cloth to his shoulder, applying more pressure there in hopes of distracting himself from his thoughts. 

Hannibal's hands were then on Will, trying desperately to control their trembling. He pulled the washcloth away and started to disinfect Will's cheek, earning himself a soft hiss from Will. He struggled to gently wrestle Will's shirt off him to better access the wound on his shoulder. He carefully cleaned the stab wound then carefully sewed the skin back together.

Will blacked out for a moment, only saved from toppling off the bed by Hannibal quickly catching him with a hand around the nape of his neck. "Stay with me, Will." It was a hoarse whisper, and Will could hear how raw Hannibal was, even if he was struggling to stay conscious.

"I'm right here." Will said in a broken whisper. He meant it, with every fibre of his being, even if he were fading in and out of consciousness. He wasn't going to run anymore. He'd tried that, and all it had gotten him was hurt. Now, he knew what they could be. What they were meant to be. And they couldn't go back now. 

Will thought briefly on Molly, and Walter. He'd miss them, perhaps, but he would never again be the Will Graham they knew. He couldn't love them in the same way, anymore. Back then, he'd only thought about Hannibal occasionally. Now, all he could think about was Hannibal, and what he wanted, moreover, what he could easily have from Hannibal if only he asked nicely. Will wouldn't miss his old life. He would only truly miss his dogs. That he was certain of.

Once Hannibal was sure all of Will's wounds were tended to, he cleaned up the mess and set the kit aside. He briefly entertained the idea of getting up to get some towels, but he decided against it. He didn't know if he had it in him anymore, as exhaustion took hold of him. He slowly settled into the mattress and stared blankly up at the ceiling. It was too dark, the warm yellow of the lamp in the corner doing nothing to dispel the shadows in his mind.

Will struggled to pull off his shoes, socks, and pants, only succeeding with Hannibal's help before he could lay down. When Hannibal did the same, Will hesitantly reached out a hand to touch the doctor's arm. He was struggling to stay awake, and he wasn't able to think very clearly, but he knew that Hannibal was not okay, and he needed to fix it. "I didn't... I don't want to die." He murmured. "We needed to escape, and I thought it was easier..." He squeezed Hannibal's arm. "I didn't plan or hope to die, but I would have been okay with it if we had. Together."

Hannibal stared at the ceiling longer still before he took Will's hand into his own trembling one and kissed the knuckles carefully. "Will..." He couldn't find the words he needed to express the churning storm of emotions inside his chest. It felt not unlike the roiling blackness of the water that had almost swallowed them whole not so long ago.

"We're alive." Will said, fingers turning to intertwine with Hannibal's. He squeezed the man's hand and kissed the back of it just as carefully as Hannibal had, placing deliberate and lingering kisses to the skin. "I see you. I understand you." He untangled their fingers and pressed a very gentle kiss to the scar on Hannibal's wrist- his mark on the man. "I love you." He said it as quietly as if it were a prayer. To Will, it certainly felt like one.

Hannibal blinked, slightly overwhelmed by the admission. Though he had known it to be true, as it had been proven by the way Will reacted on the top of that godforsaken cliff, but he had been almost certain that he'd never be allowed to hear Will say it. Tears formed in his eyes and a few managed to run freely down his cheeks.

Will reached to wipe Hannibal's tears away with feather-light caresses of his calloused thumbs. "Please don't- I can't..." He choked on the rest of that sentence, his own eyes growing wet. He tried again, his voice quivering as he spoke. "I can't explain to you what I was feeling, up there. But... I feel like I finally understand who I am. And I feel like I know who we are." He took a deep breath. "I promise I'm never leaving your side again." His own tears then fell, just as quickly as Hannibal's did. 

"'I love you' is not adequate for how I feel about you, Will." It was Hannibal's turn to wipe at Will's tears. "I want to consume you. To teach you. To love you, and care for you." He rested his forehead against Will's, closing his eyes and letting his fingers rub circles at the nape of Will's neck. "I want to give you everything, and I want everything you wish to give me."

[](https://imgur.com/WzDjjvG)

Will closed his eyes and listened to the sincerity in Hannibal's voice. "I want to give you everything. I am yours, Hannibal." His voice gave out at the end. He cleared his throat. "I'm yours." He said again, a little firmer this time. It didn't come out nearly as strongly as he felt it, but it was something. He smiled, the tiniest little thing that pulled uncomfortably at his cheek, but it was the most genuine smile he could muster in his exhausted and hurt state.

Hannibal wrapped his arm around Will's waist carefully. "I am yours, Will. And you are mine." He slid his fingers into Will's damp curls and nuzzled against him. It was not unlike their posture on the top of the cliff. The image was only completed when Will rested his good cheek against Hannibal's shoulder. 

Will closed his eyes and felt truly comforted. This was where he belonged. This was where he would be content to die. This was why he'd pushed them off that cliff. To make the embrace last forever, even if it would have ended in a moment. "Are you upset with me?" He asked quietly, nosing into Hannibal's neck very lightly. He wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in Hannibal's arms, but he knew they needed to talk.

"I am hurt, yes. But I am not mad at you." Hannibal soothed gently. "We could have died, Will. That made me realize just how much I do not wish to do so. Now, after all this time, I finally have you. For you to be taken away so soon after you finally understood what I've always wanted for us?" He kissed Will's hair. "I couldn't bear the thought." He cradled Will in his arms as if he were the most precious thing in the world, because in Hannibal's world, he was.

Will leaned into the man heavily, and his grip on the Hannibal's shoulder began to loosen. "I'm tired, Hannibal." He whispered, pressing a light kiss to Hannibal's neck. "I'm so tired."

Hannibal nodded gently and kissed Will's forehead. "I know, my dearest Will. Rest now, we will talk more in the morning." He breathed into Will's ear, caressing a thumb over the bandage on Will's cheek. He was beautiful, even in such a state as this. His wounded angel.

Will shivered as Hannibal's breath brushed against his ear, giving only a little nod before he succumbed to his exhaustion. It took him so completely and so quickly that it worried Hannibal.

He listened carefully to Will's breathing and rested his fingers over Will's wrist, feeling how his pulse was faint, but steady. He didn't fall asleep for a few hours, too concerned that Will would need his attention in some way. But eventually, his exhaustion overcame him too, and despite his best efforts, sleep took him.

~~~~~

Hannibal woke first, gasping for breath and fighting against the too-real waves in his mind that threatened to take Will away from him. Once he took in his surroundings and the warm body beside him, he managed to relax. Will was alive, right beside him. Right where he belonged. Hannibal studied the man for a long moment, taking in his peaceful expression, despite the large bandage on his cheek and the other little cuts and bruises littering his fair skin.

Will soon stirred, as if he felt Hannibal looking at him. He blinked and furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Hannibal, but then he remembered all that had happened. When Will looked a little harder he noticed that Hannibal looked a little haunted. The lines of his face were hard and his eyes were darker than usual, clouded even. "Hey." He murmured, reaching out a hand to touch Hannibal's shoulder. "What's wrong?" He asked, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up a little more.

Hannibal met Will's eyes when they blinked open. The poor man looked confused, then relieved, then concerned. How sweet. "I didn't sleep well, is all. Nothing to worry about." He assured, though his accent was thick. He reached to caress Will's cheek and offered him a tight smile.

"Hannibal. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere ever again. I promise." Will took Hannibal's face in his hands and looked him in the eye. "I can't even figure out where you end and I begin. I can't do this without you anymore." He didn't stop to think what 'this' was. He knew that wasn't something he wanted to dwell on.

"I know, my dearest. I know." Hannibal said, closing his eyes to avoid Will's gaze. He felt vulnerable somehow, even though it was Will who was easily more vulnerable. He probably allowed himself to be in order to comfort Hannibal. Will was truly his own personal Botticelli angel. "The last few years have been unkind to us, Will." He said quietly, opening his eyes to search the man's face. There were lines there that hadn't been before. There would be new scars there, a permanent reminder of the night they became something more than themselves.

Will closed his eyes and decided he didn't want to talk anymore. His cheek hurt worse than hell and he didn't know what else to say to Hannibal. Perhaps he wished to tell him those years of pain didn't matter. That they had slowly shaped him into what he was supposed to be- what he was today- what he'd always darkly thought he'd become. He wanted to tell Hannibal that his years of loving him hadn't gone unnoticed, but that he'd been so damn afraid of his 'becoming' that he'd shoved all his feelings deep, deep down and ignored it all. He wanted to tell Hannibal that now he knew for certain that he loved him, and that he would quite easily die for Hannibal. 

But none of those words came out. No words at all came out. He just opened is eyes to meet Hannibal's gaze, something he found more and more easy as time went on. Anyone else would have set his skin crawling, but not Hannibal. Hannibal already knew him better than anyone. Better than even himself, sometimes. There was no reason to hide from him.

"I know." Hannibal said quietly, stroking Will's hair with gentle fingers. He didn't need the man to say what he was thinking. He understood Will perfectly well as it was. Not to mention that he didn't want Will to work himself a state of distressed over the simple task of looking for the right words to say, or how to say them. "We do not need words, Will. We never really did. We just need each other. Always remember that." He said gently, pressing a lingering kiss to the middle of Will's forehead.

"We need to eat." Will murmured, sitting up slowly. "Then we need to get out of here." He closed his eyes as the room spun. He let out a slow breath and moved to stand. "They'll find us if we stay here." He said, biting his tongue against the dizziness spinning in his head and the weakness in his legs.

Hannibal stood up and steadied Will carefully. "It's still early, Will. Get some more sleep. I will prepare us something to eat." He guided Will back down onto the mattress. "I will be careful, I promise." He soothed at Will's weak protest. He pressed a kiss to the man's forehead before he left to attempt to catch them something to cook for them.

Will didn't know when he fell asleep, only that he had. Then he didn't know when he woke, only that he had because of a nightmare. He got up slowly and then fumbled around until he found a towel. He used it to dry the sweat from his hair and chest before he crept toward the kitchen. "You're cooking." He said with a very small quirk of his lips. He couldn't smile, not really. Not with the way his cheek pulled when he even just spoke.

"You said we need to eat." Hannibal reminded, looking up to the man. He was beautiful, with ruffled, damp hair and a grumpy disposition. "I caught a fish." He said, hoping to brighten Will's mood a little.

"You're hurt, you should be resting." Will said, lifting a hand to his own cheek even as he said it. It hurt worse now than it had when he'd gone to sleep. A useful, if painful reminder of the state they were in. He moved to Hannibal's side and pressed a hand flat to the bandage in his abdomen. "You can't keep this up." He murmured. 

Hannibal's mood was significantly darkened at the Will's pessimism. He was thinking too much, he was worrying more than he was allowing himself to bask in the fact that they were still alive and finally together. That was truly what set them apart. Hannibal was a hedonist, and Will was not. He could never be, with all that worrying he did. Hannibal was never too worried to indulge himself. "I'm alright, Will. Just relax, take some time to think everything over."

"We are very far from alright." Will grumbled, then he sighed. He kept his mouth shut to give his wound a break as the smell of well-prepared fish made his stomach growl. He hesitated before wrapping his arms around Hannibal's torso, careful to avoid his wound. He pressed his forehead to Hannibal's back and just breathed it all in. 

Hannibal let Will hold him for a moment before gently nudging him off. "Go sit down, let's eat, then we can talk, if you wish." He picked up the two plates and walked over to the table, where he placed them down close to each other. "I really am going to be just fine, Will. As will you. You must to keep that in mind, my dear." He said as he watched Will sit down.

Will looked at the fish, sliced beautifully and smelling amazing. It was certainly simple for Hannibal's taste, but it was still a wonder to Will's (admittedly simple) taste. "We could be a little more fine if you stopped wasting unnecessary energy on the aesthetic of our food." He pointed out.

Hannibal shook his head. His darling Will would never truly understand the finer things in life. "You're welcome to plate next time, Will." He said, quirking an eyebrow at Will as he took a bite of fish. It was dangerously close to bland, but it had been all he could do.

Will rolled his eyes and turned to his fish, which he ate slowly as he thought over everything that needed to happen. Certainly before they were ready to leave, they'd have to go. They couldn't risk being caught. "Where are we going to go?" He asked quietly.

"I'm not sure, but we have to be careful. Jack isn't extremely smart, but he is stubborn. He will look for a long time before he realizes he will never find us." Hannibal said with a shake of his head. "It hardly matters where we go, what really matters is what we do once we're there." He pointed out. "We'll be careful, we'll be unpredictable. We'll be safe, Will. And we'll be happy." Hannibal assured.

Will nodded gently. He nearly believed it. If he let go of himself for a moment, he could allow himself to believe it. A fairytale life together. Traveling the world, always able to rely on each other. It was a pretty picture. But he knew it wasn't real. They'd struggle, they'd fight, they might even kill each other. But Will couldn't find it in himself to care. Everything felt all too real and absolutely surreal at the same time. It made it rather easy to commit to a life on the run with a cannibal that he loved.

"I will never let anything happen to you again, Will. I swear it to you." Hannibal said, taking Will's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I know at times it might be hard, but we will get through it together. I will never stop loving you, Will. I've stopped fighting it, and now I know I couldn't lose you without losing myself. I think last night you realized something similar. So let your worries go. We are all each other has left now. We have to allow ourselves a little trust."

[](https://imgur.com/yTJ2Sgd)

Will took Hannibal's hand and kissed it in turn. He didn't hesitate before leaning his bad cheek into Hannibal's hand. It was his way of telling Hannibal that he trusted him. And he did so trust Hannibal, with his everything. They were now completely at each other's mercy, and Will didn't mind one bit. He was a new person now, and he didn't care. This was how it was meant to be.

Hannibal brushed his thumb extremely lightly over Will's bandage. "I've got you, Will. I will always have you." He promised, and that seemed to soothe Will enough to continue eating in silence.

Much of the rest of the day passed quietly. Hannibal tried to gather things they might need once they were on the road. After he felt he had all he could get from here, he coaxed Will into taking a shower, then redressed the man's wounds and helped him settle in bed. Hannibal repeated the process on himself before he joined Will in bed. It was still early in the evening, but the two men were exhausted. Their bodies needed healing and Will's mind needed consoling. Everything he'd thought (hoped) he'd always be was gone. Instead it was replaced by what he'd always feared (known) he'd become.

Will began to think about Hannibal and himself, about their future, and it was simultaneously the life he wanted most, and the life he'd often had nightmares about living. He pressed his face into Hannibal's shoulder and took a deep breath. He had to let out everything that was eating away at him, and how better to do that than to talk to one's therapist? "What if I can't?" He asked, because everything else was too complicated to put into words just yet.

"Then you don't have to." Hannibal replied easily, slipping a finger under Will's chin to tilt his head up and look into his eyes. "I believe you have it in you, Will. Furthermore, I believe letting the beast out will help heal you. For so long you've fought this side of you. But now you are free to be whatever you wish. You are in the company of a monster that loves you as you are, however you may choose to be." He took Will's cheek into his hand and caressed it gently. "There is nothing to fear when you are with me. If you don't believe you can, then you won't." It was simple, really, in Hannibal's mind.

Will leaned into Hannibal's touch and closed his eyes. "I don't fear you, I fear myself." He said. "You're easy to know. I understand what to expect from you. I don't know about myself. I don't know what I'm capable of, or what I want to be capable of." Now that there was nothing stopping him from declining into the madness he'd always felt creeping in, he couldn't help but consider what would happen if he let it take him.

"Will. Focus on me." Hannibal said, trying to coax Will out of his mind. He knew it was dangerous in there. "We will figure this out together. Do you understand? I don't want you to think any longer on the future. We have all the time in the world to figure out what works for us." He pressed a gentle kiss to Will's forehead.

Will wanted to kiss Hannibal. He wanted to pull him close and devour him. He wanted to taste Hannibal's tongue and touch him like his wandering mind had occasionally imagined. He wanted to press kisses down Hannibal's torso and leave bite marks on his skin. But he knew that none of it was something they could allow themselves right now. They were beaten and broken and needed to recuperate before they even considered doing anything they didn't have to. 

"Thank you." Will finally said instead, shuffling down onto the pillow and nudging his forehead against Hannibal's shoulder. "We have to leave soon, so get some rest. We'll worry about the details when we wake." He closed his eyes then, and settled easily into sleep.

Hannibal closed his eyes, but didn't yet sleep. He chose to map out a plan for their life on the run. He knew it would be hard for himself and Will, but he somehow also knew that it would be worth it for when they could relax and enjoy each other freely, without a care in the world. He wondered how long Jack would look. Would he see that Will had changed? Or would he think that Hannibal had taken him against his will?

Hannibal could just see Jack worrying about Will, imagining the different ways he would hurt Will before he finally ate him. Hannibal thought of all the ways he had hurt Will, and wondered how the man could still love him. He turned to look over Will, at how peacefully he slept. He wished that peace could last him forever.

Hannibal decided they would take a boat to Cuba. Will would like being on a boat, and he would enjoy the beach. They could stay there for a short while before they had to move again. But they'd have to be careful in getting a boat. If they were smart, they could get one and leave without making themselves too memorable. With thoughts lingering on how and where to acquire a boat, he finally fell asleep.

~~~~~

When Will woke, Hannibal was gone. Will got up too fast and had to sit back down on the bed as his vision tried to return from the black abyss that overtook his vision. "Hannibal?" He called weakly, taking deep breaths and trying his best not to let panic get the best of him. He stood up again, slowly this time and walked quickly through the small home. He looked through the window and could tell it was early, but he couldn't quite place how early.

Will made his way outside, struggling to keep upright as he felt the panic looming over him like a tidal wave, ready to swallow him and drown him in the feeling. "Hannibal?" He called as loudly as he dared. No reply came back, and Will began to feel the anxiety overtaking him. Without Hannibal, he didn't know what what he'd do. He couldn't go back to his life, he couldn't let Jack find him, and he couldn't make it on the run alone.

"Will? What's wrong?" Hannibal hurried down a path toward the house, and stopped at Will’s side. Will was so relieved to see the man that it took a moment to register the full tote bags Hannibal carried. “I thought you were gone.” He whispered. He met Hannibal halfway to the house and took a few bags from him. 

"Will, I would never leave with the intention of not coming back." Hannibal promised, looking over Will’s face. He looked so worried. He had planned to be back before the man woke, but he had made a mistake in timing.

“What’s in the bags?” Will asked, not wanting to speak of it anymore. He’d been more worried than he’d ever been in his life, but now he wasn’t. End of story.

"Supplies for when we leave." Hannibal answered. "I'm sorry I frightened you, Will. I couldn't sleep very well. I never did used to sleep for very long, so I knew it was either wait for the impossible, or do something while I had the time." He pressed a kiss to Will's cheek as he passed him on his way inside. "I think I also know where to get a boat. But I need to rest for a little while before I take you there." He set the bags down on a small table and sat down in the small armchair. He ran a hand over his bandage and let out a slow breath. "It's not extremely comfortable to have been shot."

Will followed Hannibal and rolled his eyes. "How inconvenient." He sat down at Hannibal's feet. "I think we need to leave before tomorrow." He murmured, leaning his head against Hannibal's thigh. "We've already left a lot of traces for Jack to follow when he finds this place."

Hannibal sighed at Will's tone and reached to card his fingers through the man's hair. "We'll make sure to cover our tracks. I was careful with the shop clerk. I told her of my 'shy Canadian friend that was going to teach me how to sail.' She, of course, bought the accent and the story." Hannibal spoke the quoted words in a confident British accent. 

Will shook his head. "You are the master of disguise." He deadpanned. "But really, Hannibal, Jack has pictures of you he can show everyone. You're not getting rid of him that easily." He sighed and rubbed his face. "We have to leave tonight."

"I know, my dear Will. We do what we can. Please don't worry. We're going to be just fine." Hannibal assured gently. "We'll leave in a few hours. Does that sound alright?"

Will shrugged and pressed his face into Hannibal’s thigh, closing his eyes tightly. "I guess that's fine." He mumbled. He was too tired to want to deal with any of it. “I just want to be safe.” He said, perhaps to Hannibal, perhaps to himself.

Hannibal reached down and rubbed the man’s back gently. “You will be. I promise, Will. I will keep you safe.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Will’s head. “No one will ever touch you again.” He thought briefly on Mason Verger and nearly growled at the memory of what had nearly happened to his sweet Will. He took a slow breath and focused on Will, in the present. “No one but me. And I'll be keeping you safe, my dear. Safe and well cared for.” He could imagine cooking for Will every morning and holding him close every night. He could imagine killing for Will- killing with Will. That’s all he wanted. That’s all he’s ever wanted, since he first heard how beautiful Will’s mind was.

Will nodded weakly. “No one else.” He lifted his head to look up at Hannibal. “I have nothing but you, now.” He whispered. “Promise me, this time, no lies. You tell me who you kill, and why. You tell me if you want to hurt me. You don’t lie to me, and you don’t go poking around in my brain or my time without knowing, for certain, if I want you there.”

“I promise, Will. I will never lie to you.” Hannibal said, pressing a kiss to Will’s forehead. “I swear it to you by all that I am.” He closed his eyes and rested their foreheads together. “Please put your trust in me. I know right now it might be difficult, but I will do everything in my power to deserve it.” 

“Okay.” Will whispered. He believed the man, and he really didn’t have much choice in trusting him. Hannibal was his world now, and he was nearly happy about it. Eventually, he might be truly happy. But not quite yet. He was too worried to be happy. “I trust you.” It was easier to trust Hannibal with his health and safety than to make an effort to care about it himself. 

Hannibal let them stay like that for a while before he moved to help Will into the chair then went to grab the first aid kit. He took off Will’s bandages and cleaned the wounds before re-bandaging them. “Go get some rest, I’m going to get what we need to leave, then I’ll take you down to the dock to get the boat. Does that sound alright?” He asked gently. Will nodded just a little. They would be leaving, and that was good. That was about as far as he let his mind wander.

Hannibal gathered all the supplies he’d bought, and the few things he had scavenged from around their temporary home. Will settled more comfortably into the chair and fell asleep before he could even really consider getting up to help Hannibal.

Hannibal didn’t mind, he actually found it quite sweet. He was beautiful, and far more content than he could manage to be awake. But too soon, he had to wake the poor man. “Are you ready to go?” He asked, cupping Will’s cheek. “Yes, yes, I’m ready.” He blinked and took Hannibal’s hand into his own. He pressed a kiss to his palm before letting it go.

Will stood up and took a few bags from Hannibal. “Let’s go.” He nodded for Hannibal to lead the way. Hannibal took the rest of their things and began the hard trek to the dock.

When they arrived at the docks, Hannibal told Will to stay put at a fair distance from the boat shop, as he didn’t want Will to feel any more worried about being caught than he already was.

After a brief exchange, the dock manager wished Hannibal a safe journey with his friend. Hannibal waved Will over and stepped onto a slightly small, yet beautifully crafted boat. Will already adored it. He hurried over and got on the boat, setting his bags down and making quick work of the moorings and taking off. 

Will felt at home here, lowering the sail and tying off ropes. His anxieties slipped into the wind as they left Francis Dolarhyde, Jack Crawford, and their past lives behind. Nothing could get to them here. “Maybe when we can get a bigger boat, we can live out on the water, for short periods of time?” He suggested with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

Hannibal nodded. He didn't know if he could learn to love the life on the sea that Will did. But for Will, he would have to try. “Of course, mano mylimasis.” He said, unable to help it with the way Will looked at him.

Will studied Hannibal at the words, searching for clues as to what the hell that meant in Hannibal's face. It was a good thing, but that's all Will could discern. “What does it mean?” He asked, deciding to give in would be much easier than to think any longer on it.

“It means my beloved.” Hannibal said with a warm smile. “You are the one thing in this world that I hold dear, Will.” He explained.

Will shook his head. “So, just to clarify: you could have gone with sweetheart, or babe, or honey, or literally any pet name at all, and instead you choose to go with Lithuanian for my beloved?” He gave a gentle laugh. 

Hannibal looked out at the water. “It wasn't a particularly mindful choice.” He said. “You have always been so in my mind, it is just that now you've brought my guard down enough to verbalize it.” He looked back to Will and smiled. “You make me feel more relaxed than I have for a very long time.”

“Good.” Will said, a pleased smile gracing his lips. “I want you to feel safe with me. I want to pull your personable façade off and be allowed to see you. The real you.”

Hannibal cupped Will's cheek and smiled. “You have already seen more of me than any other living person, my dear. You will always have more of me than anyone.” He met Will's eyes. “I am yours, Will.” He promised.

“I'm yours, Hannibal.” Will returned, slipping a hand into the hair at Hannibal's nape and pulling him into a soft kiss. 

Will didn't know what awaited them in Cuba, but he knew they'd be okay, because they'd be together. 

They could do anything together.


End file.
